Instant message applications allow parties to transmit text messages between computers remotely located from one another via a server, and to determine the status of “buddies” or individuals with usernames known to the user of the application. Writing an instant message application can entail a great deal of programming activity, and, because messages must be accepted when they arrive, an application must be written specially to accept such messages at any time.
It would be desirable to allow conventional applications that may have functionality different from conventional instant messaging applications and that operate on remotely-located computer systems, to communicate with one another or to allow conventional applications to identify status of remotely-located users or other programs via an instant messaging communication system. Such a capability would allow the applications to employ the instant messaging infrastructure to communicate instant information or to identify the status of other users or programs, without having to reproduce that infrastructure. However, because many applications are not written in a manner to allow them to receive messages at any time, applications cannot employ conventional instant messaging communication infrastructure to communicate among one another. Even if such applications were modified to accept messages as they arrive, each application would be required to supply instant messaging functionality, a time-consuming and memory wasting approach. Furthermore, the operator of a conventional instant messaging network may not wish to allow unauthorized applications to use its network.
What is needed is a system and method that can allow applications that are not structured to receive messages at any time to use an instant messaging network in order to communicate information and identify status of one or more users of the instant messaging network, without writing an entire instant message application, and without requiring that the operator of an existing instant messaging network allow such communication by all applications.